Traveling carriage printing means in bowling game scoring apparatus



April 26, 1966 E. c. WEBB ETAL 3,247,789

TRAVELING CARRIAGE PRINTING MEANS IN BOWLING GAME SCORING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 16, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet 1 8 R W A L A P INVENTORS Ernest C. Webb a Everett K. Mentzer Fig.4.

E. c. WEBB ETAL 3,247,789

G MEANS IN BOWLING GAME SCORING APPARATUS April 26. 1966 TRAVELING CARRIAGE PRINTIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1962 INVENITORS Ernest C. Webb 8 l EvereH K. Mentzer mEuu 38 A nii 26, 1966 c, WEBB ETAL 3,247,789

TRAVELING CARRIAGE PRINTING MEANS IN BOWLING GAME SCORING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 16, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Ernest C. Webb 8| Everett K. Memzer E. C. WEBB ETAL Apmfl 26, 1966 TRAVELING CARRIAGE PRINTING MEANS IN BOWLIN GAME SCORING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- Filed Jan. 16, 1962 INVENTORS M m M 5 W c w 9" MT t EE United States Patent Ohio Filed .ian. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 166,633 39 Claims. (Cl. 101-93) This invention relates to movable printing apparatus adapted to produce printed characters at any one of a plurality of places over the surface of a stationary sheet, and more particularly to apparatus for printing the ball results and score on a bowling game score sheet.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in automatically printing the score on a bowling game score sheet and, in this respect, is usable with an automatic scoring, totalizing and printing system such as that shown in copending application Serial No. 38,091, filed July 7, 1960, and assigned to the assignees of the present application. As is known, the bowling score is usually recorded on charts or blank forms provided by proprietors or operators of bowling alleys. Such a score sheet is divided into player lines, one

for each player in a game, with each line being divided into ten frame boxes. After each ball is rolled, the pinfall results of that ball are entered in a box provided in the upper right-hand corner of the score box representing the frame being played. In most cases, after each frame is played, the frame score is entered in the appropriate place in a frame box adjacent the name of each player. If a bowler should make, for example, nine pins in a frame, the number nine will be headed in the box provided for that frame adjacent his name. If, on the other hand, a strike or spare is made on the first or second ball, respectively, of a frame, a symbol well known in the bowling game is placed in the upper right-hand corner of the box representing that frame to indicate the results of the pinfall by a particular ball in the case of a strike, ortwo balls in the case of a spare. In the case of a strike, two balls must be rolled before appropriate scores in preceding boxes can be entered. In the case of a spare, scoring is delayed until the next or first ball of the next frame is rolled; whereas, in the case of two normal balls knocking.

down less than ten pins, the frame score can be immediately added and the play to that point totalized.

In order to automatically print the ball results and frame-to-frame score on a score sheet, either the printing apparatus itself must be movable over the entire surface of the sheet, or the sheet must be movable relative to the printing apparatus. Since it may be somewhat awkward to move the score sheet, best results can be obtained by providing a movable printing device which can move in quadrature; that is, in a direction parallel to the player lines and in a direction perpendicular thereto along the frames of the score sheet. Furthermore, if the printing device is positioned above the score sheet, it will naturally obstruct the view of scores entered thereon.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide new and improved printing apparatus, and particularly to provide printing apparatus for a bowling game score sheet or the like wherein the printing apparatus itself does not obstruct the view of printed material already entered on the sheet.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide printing apparatus of the type described wherein characters are printed on the bottom of a translucent or the like sheet such that they may be viewed from the top of the sheet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for electrically controlling printing apparatus of the type described in response to elec- "ice trical intelligence representing the proper ball results and score to be entered on the sheet.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a translucent or the like score sheet divided into player lines and frames,'a transparent plate positioned above the score sheet and parallel thereto, and printing apparatus positioned beneath the score sheet and movable over the entire surface of the score sheet, the printing apparatus being movable upwardly to press the sheet against the transparent plate and produce printed characters thereon. Preferably, a light-colored opaque plate is carried by the printing apparatus and positioned parallel to the score sheet on the underside thereof so as to provide a background for the printed characters on the sheet. Cut into the opaque plate is an aperture through which the type of the printing apparatus projects. A light-colored shutter covers the aforesaid aperture when the printing device is removed from the underside of the sheet but opens when the printing apparatus is moved toward the underside of the sheet to permit characters to be printed thereon. As will be seen, this arrangement provides a unique and convenient means for printing on the underside of a score sheet or the like such that the printed characters may be viewed from above through the aforesaid transparent plate with the opaque plate serving as a background for the printed characters.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the opaque plate carried by the printing device is larger in area than the score sheet and the transparent plate above it such that a light-colored background will be provided for the printing characters regardless of the position of the printing device relative to the sheet.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bowling alley with which the printing apparatus of the invention may be used;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the printing arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partially broken-away side view of the printing apparatus of the invention showing the arrange ment of the printing wheels and the cam means for lifting the printing wheels into engagement with the sheet Which is to be printed;

FIG. 4 is a partial top view of the apparatus of FIG. 3 taken substantially along line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3 showingthe cam arrangement for elevating the printing apparatus into engagement with the sheet which is to be printed;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 3 showing the electrical contact arrangement for each printing wheel of the printing apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIIVII of FIG. 3 showing the stop finger arrangement and indexing mechanism for each of the printing wheels of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 3 showing the carbon paper dispensing and shutter arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a back view of the printing apparatus of FIG. 3 showing the shutter actuating arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an automatic detecting, registering and totalizing system for a bowling game with 0 which the present invention may be used;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a cover for the player pushbuttons shown in FIG. 2 which will permit each pushor .4 button to be depressed only by an appropriate key for that pushbutton;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIIXII of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of two types of keys usable with the cover of FIGS. 11 and 12; and

FIG. 15 is a broken-away view of the tops of the printing wheels showing the offset disposition of type on the ball results wheels with respect to that on the score printing wheels.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a bowling alley is shown comprising the usual approach area 10 which terminates at a foul line 12. On the other side of the foul line is the alley proper 14 comprising tongue-and-groove bed stock laid on edge. The alley 14 terminates at a tail plank 16, while ahead of the tail plank is a pin deck 18 having ten fiber pin spots 20 thereon. As will be understood, the pins are placed on the pin spots 20 during a bowling game by means of an automatic pin-spotting machine, not shown. On each side of the alley 14 are round bottom gutters 22, only one of such gutters being shown in FIG. 1. The gutters 22 extend from the foul line 12 to the pin deck 18; while along the pin deck are gutters 24 which conventionally have flat bottom surfaces, these gutters 24 communicating with the ends of gutters 22 as shown.

Separating successive alleys are division boards 26 which communicate with kickbacks 28. The kickbacks extend along the length of the pin deck 18 as well as the pit 3t behind the tail plank. A cushion plank 32 extends between the tops of the kickbacks 28 and supports a cushion 34, substantially as shown. On the side of each kickback 28.is a kickback plate 36 facing the pins on spots 20.

The printing apparatus of the present invention is carried within a console, generally indicated at 38 in FIG. 1, this console being positioned adjacent the approach area 10. In an actual installation, usually two printing devices will be positioned within a single console between adjacent alleys to facilitate league play; however for the purpose of a complete understanding of the invention, the single printing arrangement for the one alley will sufiice.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the top 40 of the console 38 is shown and comprises a plate having a rectangular opening 42 cut therein. Covering the major right-hand portion of the opening 42 is a transparent plate 44, while beneath the plate 44 is a conventional bowling game score sheet comprising a series of player lines each of which is divided into frame boxes numbered one through ten. Within the first nine frame boxes in each player line are two ball results boxes 46, while in the tenth frame three ball results boxes 48 are provided. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown herein, the transparent plate 44 does not cover the left-hand portion of the score sheet provided for the players names, the arrangement being such that the name of each player may be manually entered on one of the player lines with a pencil or the like. Adjacent the names of the players are a series of pushbuttons identified by the letters A through H. As will be seen, these pushbuttons are used to position the printing apparatus, hereinafter described, beneath the correct player line. As an alternative to the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the transparent plate 44 may coverthe entire score sheet, in which case -a removable card having the names of players thereon may he slipped into a holder adjacent the pushbuttons A-H such that each players name will be adjacent one of the pushbuttons.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, it can be seen that the score sheet, identified by the numeral 50, actually comprises a series of such sheets wound upon a paper roll 52 carried within the console 38. From the paper roll 52 the continuous sheet of successive score sheets passes over a roller 54 which is spring-biased upwardly against upper and lower edges, respectively.

the bottom surface of plate 40 and thence underneath the transparent plate 44 to an exit slot 56. From the slot 56 the continuous roll of score sheets passes into a score sheet clamp and cutoff assembly 58 which, in one position, clamps the forward end of the continuous length of score sheets and, in another position, is adapted to sever the continuous length so as to separate a fully printed score sheet from the next successive score sheet to be printed beneath the transparent plate 44.

Carried within the console 38 beneath the plate 44 are a first pair of tracks 60 and 62 (FIG. 5) which carry, for reciprocating movement, a first carriage 64 comprising a pair of angle irons 66 and 68 bolted or otherwise securely fastened to a second pair of tracks 70 and 72 (FIG. 3). Provided on the angle irons 66 and 68 are rollers 74 and 76 adapted to move along the tracks 60 and 62 to facilitate reciprocating movement of the carriage 64 along a path extending parallel to the player lines on the score sheet 50. Carried on the tracks 70 and 72 for reciprocating movement at right angles to the movement of carriage 64 is a second carriage 78 having rollers 80 and 82 adapted to move within the tracks 70 and 72. The carriage 78 comprises a pair of angle irons 84 and 86 to which the rollers 80 and 82 are connected, together with a pair of plates 88 and 90 which extend upwardly from angle irons 84 and 86. The ends of upright plates 88 and 90 furtherest removed from the plane of the drawing are provided with inwardly-bent tabs 92 each provided with an opening which receives a bushing 94. The purpose of the tabs 92 and bushings 94 is to support, for reciprocating movement, a vertically extending plate 96 which, in turn, carnies the printing apparatus proper as will hereinafter be described. As shown, the plate 96 is provided with inwardly-bent flanges 98 and 1110 at its Carried on the flanges 98 and 100 at the opposite ends thereof are bolts 102 having stub portions 104 which extend downwardly through the bushings 94 in the tabs 92 on plates 88 and 90. Threadedly received on the bolts 102 are stop members 106, the arrangement being such that these stop members 106 will limit the downward movement of plate 96 with respect to plates 88 and 90. The plate 96 may, however, move upwardly from the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 by virtue of the stub portions 104 which are slideably received in the bushings 94 in tabs 92. That is, the plate 96 may reciprocate upwardly from the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 and then downwardly with the stub portions 1114 serving as guides.

Secured to the inner face of the reciprocable late 96, at either end thereof, are two plates 108 and 110 (FIG. 3) which support a main drive shaft 112 for the printing apparatus proper. The shaft 112 is connected through gears 114 and 116 to printer drive motor 118, the arrangement being such that the drive motor 118 may be actuated to rotate the main drive shaft 112. At the opposite ends of the drive shaft 112 are pinion gears 120, each of which meshes with a larger gear 122 carried on an associated one of the plates 108 or 110. Each gear 122, in turn, has a circular cam 124 bolted to its outer surface; and this cam is adapted to engage the upper surface of a bracket 126 bolted to an associated one of the plates 88 or W. As is best shown in FIG. 5, the path of rotation of cams 124 on gears 122 is such that they will engage the upper surfaces of the brackets 126 for each revolution of the gears 122. Since the brackets 126 on the plates 88 and 90 are carried on the carriage 78, and since the gears 122 and earns 124 are carried on the reciprocable plate 96, the engagement of the cams 124 with the top surfaces of the brackets 126 will cause the plate 96 and all of the components carried thereby to move upwardly on the stub portions 104 of bolts 102 and then downwardly into their original starting positions. It will be noted that the printer drive motor 118 is carried on the plate 96 so that it also moves upwardly with the shaft 112 when the cams 124 engage the brackets 126.

dependently of the others.

Above the shaft 112 is a printing wheel assembly (FIG. 3), generally indicated at 128. Since the embodiment of the invention shown herein is used for printing the ball results and score in a bowling game, there are six printing wheels numbered 138, 132, 134, 136, 138 and 140. As will hereinafter be seen, each of the printing wheels 130-148 has a plurality of printing or type charac-' ters circumferentially spaced around its circumference. The first three printing wheels 130, 132 and 134 are em ployed to print the score in the frame boxes shown on the score sheet of FIG. 2. In this respect, wheel 134 is empolyed to print units, wheel 132 prints tens, and wheel 130 prints hundreds. The printing wheels 136, 138 and 140, on the other hand, .are employed to print the ball results in the ball results boxes 46 on the score sheet. In this respect, the wheel 136 is employed to print the first ball results; the wheel 138 is employed to print the second ball results; and the wheel 146 is used only in the tenth frame where there are three ball results boxes 48. That is, the wheel 140 is used only when a bonus ball is rolled in the tenth frame, this wheel serving to print the ball results of the bonus ball.

With reference to the printing wheel 134, it is connected through a central shaft 142 to a gear 144 which is keyed or otherwise securely fastened to the shaft 142 so as to rotate therewith. The printing wheel 132, on the other hand, is connected through a first tubular shaft 146 to a gear 148, this gear being keyed to the shaft 146. Finally, in a similar manner, the printing Wheel 130 is connected through a third outer tubular shaft 150 to a third gear 152. As will be understood, by virtue of the coaxial relationship of the shafts'142, 146 and 150, each of the printing wheels 1341, 132 and 134 may rotate in The shafts 142, 146 and 150 are all supported on plastic bearing supports 154 extending outwardly from the vertically reciprocable plate 96 such that the gears 144, 148, 152 and their associated printing wheels 138-134 will move upwardly with the plate 96 when cams 124 engage the brackets 126.

As shown in FIG. 3, the gears 144, 148 and 152 engage gears 156, 158 and 160, respectively, each of the latter gears being slideably received on the main drive shaft 112. On one side of each gear 156, 158 and 160 is a bushing 162 secured to the shaft 112; while on the other side of each gear is a second bushing 164 also secured to the shaft 112. Between the bushing 162 and each of the gears 156, 158 and 160 is a leaf spring 166, the arrangement being such that the spring 166 will urge its associated gear 156, 158 or 160 into engagement with the bushing 162 whereby the frictional engagement between the bushing 162 and its gear 156, 158 or 160 will cause the gear to rotate when shaft 112 is rotated, thereby rotating its gear 144, 148 or 152 and its associated printing wheel. When, however, one of the gears 144, 148 or 152 is braked or positively stopped, the gear 156 Will also stop and slide on the shaft 112. That is, the frictional engagement between each gear 156, 158 or 160 and its associated bushing 164 is such that it will rotate one of the gears 144,148 and.152 and its associated printing Wheel only in the absence of any braking applied to the latter gears. In this respect, the assemblies of gears 156, 158 and 168 comprise slip clutch arrangements.

Referring now to the ball results printing wheels 136, 138 and 148, each of these is connected to an associated gear 168, 170 and 172, respectively. These printing wheels are connected to the gears 168, 170, 172 through shafts similar to shafts 142, 146 and 150 and are supported on plastic bearing blocks 174 extending outwardly from the reciprocable plate 96. Each egar 168, 170 and 172 meshes with an associated gear 176, 178 or 180 connected in a slip clutch arrangement similar to the gears 156, 158 and 168 already described.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 7, it will be noted that the gear 168 is provided with a plurality of detent devices or drill holes 182 circumferentially spaced around its one face, although these be replaced with projecting lugs if desired. In addition, the gear 168 is provided with a projection 184 extending outwardly from its one face. Each of the gears 144, 148, 150, 172, and 168 is identical in construction, and in this respect it will be appreciated that each gear operates in the same manner. With reference to FIG. 4, it will be seen that each gear is provided with two control solenoids, the solenoids for gear 168 being identified by the numerals 186 and 188, 1

respectively. Solenoid 188 is provided with an arm or latch 190 having an end projection which lies in the path of travel of the projection 184 on gear 168. Solenoid 186, on the other hand, is provided with an arm or latch 192 having a detent 194 on its forward end adapted to fit into any one of the drill holes 182. As will hereinafter be seen, the cycle of operation of the printing apparatus is initiated by energizing the motor 118 to rotate each of the gears 144, 148, 150, 172, 170 and 168. When the motor 118 is energized, the gears all tend to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7 for gear 168. It will be seen, however, that the projection 184 on each gear which engages arm 190 will prevent rotation. Accordingly, when the motor 118 is energized, the solenoids 186 are also energized to simultaneously pull all of the arms 190 out of the path of travel of their associated projections 184 to permit the gears to rotate. With reference to gear 168 in FIG. 7, its associated solenoid 186 may be energized at any time during rotation of the gear 168 to pull the detent 194 into an associated one of the drill holes 182, thereby stopping the gear 168 and. its clutch gear 176 on the main drive shaft 112. In this manner, a selected one of the printing characters or type on any one of the printing wheels may be stopped at the top of the wheel adjacent the score sheet 50 by energizing appropriate ones of the solenoids 186 in timed relationship with respect to the initial energizati-on of solenoids 188.

The solenoid 186' for each printing wheel is energized by means of an arrangement shown in FIG. 6. Thus, there is associated with each printing wheel an insulating board 196 carried adjacent an associated one of the gears 144, 148, 150, 172, 170 and 168. Only that insulating board 196 associated with gear 168 is shown in FIG. 6.. It will be noted that the insulating board carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced electrical contact points 198, each of said contacts being connected through an associated lead to a control circuit, schematically illustrated at 200. Carried on the backside of gear 168 is a circular member 202 having a radially-extending spring finger 204 adapted to engage each of the contact points 198 in succession as the gear 168 rotates. The member 202, in turn, is connected through a wiper brush, not shown, and lead 206 to the: control circuit 200. Since the gear 168 is connected to the bonus ball results printing wheel 140, it has thirteen contact points connected through associated leads to the control circuit 280. Nine of the contact points represent the numerals 1-9; one contact represents a blow one a strike (X); one a spare and the last one a foul (F). The control circuit 200 is fully shown and described in copending application Serial No. 175,865, filed February 9, 1962,, now Pat. No. 3,124,355, and assigned to the assignees of the present application. For purposes of the present application, however, it will be sulficient to state that when a bonus ball is rolled in the tenth frame of a game, the number of pins knocked down by that ball will cause an associated one of the contact points 198 to be energized through the control circuit 200. If, for example, six pins were knocked down by the last or bonus ball, the number six contact 198 will be energized. Thereafter, when the motor 118 is energized as well as the solenoids 188, the member 202 will rotate until the radially-extending spring finger 204 engages cont-act number six. At this point, a circuit will be completed through lead 206 and the control circuit 200 to energize the solenoid 186 for gear 168, thereby pulling the arm 192 (-FIG. 4) inwardly toward the outer face of the gear to force the detent 194 into the number six drill hole shown in FIG. 7. At this point, the gears 168 and 176 stop While the drive shaft 112 continues to rotate. In this manner, the numeral six will be stopped at the top of printing wheel 140; and when the vertical plate 96 is elevated upwardly by the cams 124, this numeral six will be pressed against the score sheet 50.

In the practice of the invention, the motor 118 is initially energized, and thereafter the solenoids 188 will be momentarily energized to pull the arms 198 out of the paths of detents or projections 184, thereby permitting the printing wheel gears to rotate. Each wheel will thereafter be stopped at a predetermined angular position determined by which one of its contacts 198 is energized. If, however, none of the contacts is energized, the printing wheel will rotate through a complete revolution until the projection 184 again engages the arm 1% to stop the wheel, at which point there are no characters or type at the top of the printing wheel. The gear ratios of the various gears in the printing apparatus are such that each printing wheel may be rotated through a complete revolution before the gears 122 complete one cycle or revolution to engage the cams .124 with the brackets 126. Thus, assuming that intelligence is fed into the control circuit 260 for each of the printing wheels, each printing wheel will be positioned at a particular point and ready to print on the score sheet 50 before the cams 124 engage brackets 126 to elevate the printing wheels into engagement with the score sheet.

With reference now to FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 8, it will be noted that a plate 208 is carried on the upper flange 98 of the vertical plate 96. This plate, of course, will move parallel to-the player lines shown in FIG. 2 with movement of carriage 64, and will also move perpendicular thereto along the frames with carriage 78. Cut into the plate 208 is an opening or aperture 218 through which the tops of the printing wheels project. The plate 288 is opaque and light-colored to provide a light background for the printed material produced on the underside of the translucent score sheet 51 such that this printed material may be viewed from the top of the translucent sheet through the transparent plate 44. In order to provide an uninterrupted light background for the complete score sheet, the plate 208 must have larger transverse dimensions than the score sheet itself as shown in FIG. 2. That is, when the aperture 210 and the printing wheels underneath are at the lowermost player line H as shown in FIG. 2, the plate 208 must extend upwardly as viewed in FIG. 2 for a sufficient distance to still cover the entire score sheet.- Similarly, when the apertures 210 is at the top of the score sheet, the plate 288 must extend downwardly for a sufficient distance so that it still covers the entire score sheet. Furthermore, the length of the plate 208 from left to right as viewed in FIG. 2 must be sufiicient to cover the entire score sheet regardless of whether the aperture 210 and the printing wheels beneath are at the extreme left or right end of the score sheet. Stenciled or otherwise provided on the plate 208 is a large arrow 212 comprising a solid pointer 214 having a pair of lines 216 and 218 extending to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, with the space between the lines 216 and 218 being lightcolored as the remainder of the plate 208. As will hereinafter be seen, a bowler will push the button A-H adjacent his name before he bowls, and means are provided for moving the carriage 78 upwardly or downwardly until the aperture 210 is under the player line corresponding to the pushbutton that was depressed. In addition, the carriage 64 will be moved to position the aperture 210 over the proper frame to be played. Let us assume, for example, that the player corresponding to the pushbutton G depressed his appropriate button. At this point the carriage 78 will be moved to the player line G, and the carriage 62 will be moved to the proper frame for that player. The arrow 212 serves the important function of giving a positive indication of which player is bowling at any one time. That is, if a player G should mistakenly push button F, then the arrow 212 will, of course, point to player line F rather than the proper player line G, thereby alerting all bowlers to the fact that the player has pushed the wrong button. This condition may be corrected by merely depressing pushbutton G rather than F, whereupon the aperture 210 and the arrow 212 will move to the proper player line. It will be noted that the lines 216 and 218 extend downwardly from the aperture 210 to the extreme right edge of the plate 288. Thus, the arrow will appear regardless of which frame is being played, and by virtue of the fact that the space between the lines 216 and 218 is light-colored, any scores which appear between these lines may be viewed through the transparent late 44. Thus, when a score is to be entered in previous frame boxes after the execution of a bowling game mark such as a strike or spare, the plate 288 and aperture 218 will move to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. However,

' by virtue of the separation of lines 216 and 218, the

ball results in the succeeding frames will not be obscured.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 8, it will be seen that the aperture 216 in plate 268 is covered with a shutter 22% which comprises a flexible strip 221 of metal carried within appropriate guides, not shown, so as to curve upwardly over the tops of the printing wheels. The lower end of the flexible metal strip is connected to a shutter actuating mechanism, generally indicated at 222. The shutter actuating mechanism is possibly best shown in FiG. 9 and comprises an L-shaped bracket 224 which is secured to the right plate 88. Pivotally carried on one arm of the bracket 224 is a shutter actuating arm 226 having a pin 228 at its forward end which projects through a slot 236 in the reciprocable plate and engages the lower end of the flexible steel strip 221. When the cams 124 do not engage brackets 126 in the plate 96 and the printing apparatus is not elevated, the shutter operating arm 226 will be in the position shown by the full lines in FIG. 9 whereby the upper end of the steel strip 221 will pass over and cover the aperture 210 in plate 208. When, however, the plate 96 and its associated printing apparatus are moved upwardly by the cams 124, the pin 228 will anchor the lower end of the flexible steel strip 221 whereby its upper end will move out of the aperture 210, thereby exposing the printing wheels to the score sheet 56. Thereafter, when the plate 96 and its associated printing apparatus move downwardly, the shutter actuating arrn 226 will force the steel strip 221 upwardly whereby it will again cover the aperture 210. Th shutter 229 is lightcolored like the plate 288 and provides a means whereby a continuous light background is provided for the printed material on the score sheet. The shutter 228, however, provides a means whereby the aperture 216 is uncovered when a printing operation is to be performed.

With reference now to F168. 3 and 8, carried on the reciprocable plate 86, at right angles thereto, is a plate 232 which carries the carbon roll assembly for the printing wheels. As best shown in FIG. 8, four shafts extend outwardly from the plate 232, these shafts being indicated by the numerals 234, 236, 238 and 240. Carried on the end of shaft 246 is a gear 242 which meshes with a pinion gear 244 on the main drive shaft 112, the arrangement being such that the shaft 241) will be rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 8 each time the main drive shaft 112 is rotated. Carried on the shaft 234 is a roll of carbon paper 246. From roll 246 the ribbon 248 of carbon paper passes over roll 236 and thence between curved plates 2 5i and 252 carried between the opposite end plates 254 and 256 (FIG. 3) of a cage assembly which surrounds the printing wheels. From the plates ing wheel 140 and secured thereto.

tively print on the underside of the score sheet, either the 9 250 and 252, the carbon ribbon 248 passes over the tops of the printing wheels and thence through a second pair of curved plates 258 and 261 also carried by the aforesaid cage assembly. Finally, the carbon ribbon 248 passes over a drum 260 on shaft 238 and thence to a reel on shaft 240. Beneath the drum 260 is a roller 262 on a solenoid 264, the arrangement being such that when the solenoid is deenergized the roll 262 will notbe in contact with the drum 269, but when it is energized it will be in contact with drum 260. The shaft 238 and drum 260 are driven through gear 266 which, in turn, is connected to the pinion gear 244. The reel on shaft 240 will slip and remain stationary whenever tension is on the carbon ribbon 248. When, however, the solenoid 264 is energized to move roller 262 into contact with drum 260, the carbon ribbon 248 will be unwound from reel 246 and the slack between drum 261) and shaft 240 will be taken up. Means, not shown, are provided to energize the solenoid 264 and advance the carbon ribbon each time a first ball cycle is started for each player, thereby presenting a new carbon surface for the next printing operation.

As will be understood, the upper side only of the carbon ribbon is provided with the usual ink-like material whereas the underside is not. Thus, when any one of the print- V ing characters 268 is at the top of the printing wheel 140,

for example, and the plate 96 is forced upwardly by cams 124, a printing character will press the carbon paper against the score sheet 50 to produce a printed character thereon. This printed character may be viewed through thetransparent plate 44 while the opaque plate 208 or shutter 220 provides a light-colored background for the printed material on the score sheet.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown herein, the printing characters 268 are formed on a rubher or the like strip 269 which is wound about the print- In order to effecprinting characters themselves must have a certain degree of resiliency or the plate 44.must have this resiliency in order to produce a seating effect of the characters against the score sheet in somewhat the same manner as a conventional rubber stamp. Another analogy is a conventional typewriter wherein the platen is semi-resilient to receive the metal type bars. Thus, if the type is resilient or semi-resilient, the transparent plate 44 may be rigid. If, however, the printing characters or type are rigid and rigidly mounted on the printing wheel, then the transparent plate 44 must have a semi-resilient character. An example of a semi-resilient material which is also transparent and suitable for this purpose is vinyl. Still another possibility is to have rigid type resiliently mounted on the printing wheel (i.e., metal type mounted on rubber) in which case the transparent plate 44 may also be rigid.

It will be apparent that the ball results printing Wheels 136, 138 and 149 should print in the upper right-hand corner of each frame box on the score sheet; whereas the score results wheels 130, 132 and 134 should print di- .rcctly in the center and below the ball results boxes of each frame box. This, of course, may be accomplished by offsetting the axes of one set of wheels with respect to those of the other set. In the embodiment of the invention shown, however, the axes of all printing wheels are coincident and the printing characters on wheels 136, 138 and 140 are offset to the right as viewed in FIG. 8 with respect to those on wheels 136, 132 and 134 to achieve the desired result. This is shown more clearly in FIG. 15

Referring again to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the carriage 64 is connected to a worm gear 270, this worm gear being connected through control cams 272 to a frame travel motor 274. In a somewhat similar manner, the carriage 78 is connected to a worm drive 278 (FIG. carried on the carriage 64. The worm drive 278 is connected through control cams 280 to a player travel motor 282. Finally, the printer drive motor 118 is controlled 10 through a motor control circuit 286 which, in turn, receives control signals from control cams 288 connected to the shaft of the motor 113.

The detailed control of the carriages 64 and 78, the printing wheels, and the printer drive motor 118 is the subject of'copending application Serial No. 175,865, filed February 9, 1962, and assigned to the assignees of the present application. For purposes of the present application, however, the block diagram of FIG. 10 will sufiice for a general description of the detecting, registering and totalizing apparatus for a bowling game with which the present inventon may be used.

Referring to FIG. 10, bowling pins, not shown, on the pin spots 20 of Alley 1 and Alley 2 are each provided, for example, with permanent magnets in their bottoms. Movable across the bottoms of the pins on spots 20 are coil assemblies 290 and 292. In an actual installation, the coil assemblies 290 and 292 each comprise a plurality of aligned coils which are arranged such that as the coils sweep across the bottoms of the pins, one electrical pulse will be induced for each standing pin. The electrical pulses from the coil assemblies 290 and 292 are fed to an alley connecting relay 294 which is adapted to apply the pulses from the coil assemblies to the detecting, regis tering and totalizing circuitry for either Alley 1 or Alley 2. In FIG. 10, only the circuitry for Alley I is shown, it being understood that the relay 294 is connected to identical circuitry for Alley 2 through lead 296, both alley circuits being connected to separate printing apparatus of the type heretofore described. In the case where bowling occurs on only one alley, the alley connecting relay 294 will connect Alley 1, for example, to its associated detecting, registering and totalizing circuitry for the entire ten frames. In the case of league play, however, the alley connecting relay 294 will alternately connect the coil assemblies 290 and 292 to one and then the other of the circuits as successive frames are played. In this manner, when one team bowls on Alley 1, for example, the pinfall results detected by the coil assembly 290 Will be fed to the circuit for Alley 1. When, however, this team switches to Alley 2, the alley connecting relay 294 will be reversed whereby the pulses from coil assembly 292 will still be fed to the same circuit; and in this manner, the pinfall results and score will be added on the same score sheet for a particular team, regardless of which alley they are bowling on.

Each of the detecting, registering and totalizing circuits comprises a master circuit including a standing pin detector 298 which subtracts the number of pulses from coil assembly 290 or 292 from ten to produce a number of electrical pulses corresponding to the number of fallen pins. That is, as the coil assembly 290 or 292 sweeps across the bottoms of the pins, a number of electrical pulses will be produced equal to the number of standing pins. These pulses must then be electrically subtracted from ten to determine the number of fallen pins. From circuit 298, a number of pulses equal to the number of fallen pins is passed-to a fallen pin ball results circuit 300 which registers the number of fallen pins for each ball. This information is then fed into a ball results printing circuit 302 which energizes a selected one of the contacts 198 on the insulating boards 196 for the ball results wheels 136, 138 and 140. If it is assumed, for example, that the first ball has been rolled and that six pins have been knocked down by this first ball, then the number 6 contact on the insulating board 196 associated with gear 168 will be energized, thereby stopping the printing wheel at a position where the 6 printing character is at the top of the wheel. Thereafter, motor 118 will be energized through control circuit 236 to rotate the main drive shaft 112, thereby rotating gears 122 through one complete revolution until the cams 124 engage the brackets 126 to lift the plate 96 and the printing apparatus carried thereby upwardly into engagement with the score sheet. In this process, it Will be understood that the numeral 6 1.1 is printed in the first ball results box. After the motor 118 has rotated a sufficient number of times to rotate gears 122 through one complete revolution, the control cams 228 will deenergize the motor through the motor control circuit 286.

Now, when the second ball is rolled, the foregoing procedure is repeated, but in this case one of the contacts 198 on the insulating board 196 associated with gear 170 will be energized to stop the printing wheel 138 at the number corresponding to the number of pins knocked down by the second ball. Thereafter, the motor 118 is again energized and the foregoing procedure repeated to print the second ball results in the second ball results box of the appropriate frame box.

The foregoing description, of course, neglected the manner in which the printing wheels are positioned beneath the correct player line and the correct frame in that player line. It will be noted that from the fallen pin ball results circuit 300, the resulting pulses pass to a frame pinfall totalizer 304 which totalizes the ball results from the. first and second balls in each frame, and is thereafter reset preparatory to the rolling of the next frame. The frame pinfall totalizer 304 is connected to player relays 306, these player relays being controlled by the pushbuttons A-I-I shown in FIG. 2. Whenever a bowler prepares to bowl, he will initially depress the pushbutton adjacent his name on the score sheet. This then connects, through the player relays 306, the frame pinfall totalizer circuit 304 to a score totalizer 308, one of such totalizers being provided for each player. Thus, if the player whose name is adjacent the pushbutton A depresses that pushbutton, the frame pinfall totalizer 304 will be connected to the score totalizer 308-I. Similarly, when the player whose name is adjacent pushbutton B depresses his pushbutton, the player relays 306 will connect the frame pinfall totalizer 304 to score totalizer 308-11, and so on. The player relays also connect the frame pinfall totalizer 304 to strike-spare holding units 310, only two of such units being shown in FIG. 10, it being understood that one such unit is provided for each player in a game. When the player relays connect circuit 304 to the score totalizer 308-1, for example, they will simultaneously, through switch circuit 312, connect the same score totalizer 308-1 to a score print circuit 314. At the same time, the player relays 306 connect circuit 304 to strike-spare holding unit 310-1 and also connect circuit 304 to a frame unit 316.

Let us assume, for example, that the first player adjacent pushbutton A is bowling. Under these circumstances, he will depress the pushbutton A, thereby connecting circuit 304 to the frame unit 316 as well as to circuits 310-1 and 308-1. At the same time, when the pushbutton A is depressed, it will actuate the motor 232 through player unit 318 to move carriage '78 to a position where the printing wheels are directly beneath the first player line. If the player is bowling the first frame, the frame unit 316 will actuate motor 274 through control cams 272 to move carriage 64 to a position where the printing wheels are directly beneath the first frame. After this first frame is completed, however, the frame units advance such that when the pushbutton A is again depressed, the motor 274 will be actuated to move the carriage 64 whereby the printing wheels will be under the second, rather than the first, frame. It can thus be seen that when any one of the pushbuttons A-H is depressed, the player unit 318 will energize motor 282 to move carriage 78 to the proper player line; whereas the frame units 316, having a storage unit for each player with each unit being advanced once each time a frame has been completed, will automatically move the carriage 64 to the correct frame for the particular bowler who is bowling. In this manner, it will be appreciated that the bowlers in a group or on a team need not bowl in sequence. That is, the bowler adjacent pushbutton A may, for example, bowl five successive frames, and thereafter the next bowler whose name is adjacent pushbutton B may bowl two or three frames; the bowler whose name is adjacent pushbutton C may bowl only one frame; the next bowler may bowl one or any number of frames without regard to what the other bowlers in a group or team are doing.

As was mentioned above, when any pushbutton is depressed, the player relays 306 automatically connect circuit 304 to an associated one of the strike-spare holding units 310 as well as an associated one of the score totalizing units 308. If a strike or spare is made in any frame, this is recorded in the strike-spare holding unit 310, and printing of the score is delayed until the next or successive frame. At the same time, when a players pushbutton is depressed, the frame pinfall results are passed to his score totalizer 8 and stored therein. Thus, if a player should knock down nine pins in the first frame, nine pulses will be stored in his appropriate score totalizer 308. Then, when he bowls the next frame, the frame pinfall results of that frame will be added to his previous score in his unit 308. Assuming that no strikes or spares are made in a frame, the switch 312 will connect the appropriate score totalizer 303 to the score print circuit 314, thereby energizing appropriate contacts 198 on the insulating boards 1% for printing wheels 130, 132 and 134 whereby these printing wheels will be rotated to the proper positions to print the accumulated score on the score sheet. If, however, a mark is made in a particular frame, the strike-spare holding unit 310 for that player will prevent the circuit 314 from printing the score in that frame. In the next or successive frame when scoring is to be achieved under the rules, however, the frame units 316 will be actuated to move the carriage 64 backwardly to the proper frame and the score print circuit 314 also actuated to print the score in that frame. It can thus be seen that the circuit of FIG. 10 provides a means whereby scoring is achieved in accordance with the rules of the American Bowling Congress.

As will be understood, proper operation of the electrical system of FIG. 10 depends upon each bowlers depressing his proper pushbutton before rolling a frame. Otherwise, if a bowler pushes the wrong button A-H, his score, for that frame, will be credited to another bowler in the group. Although the arrow 212 shown in FIG. 2 should substantially eliminate this possibility, further insurance can :be achieved by use of the arrangement shown in FIGS. ll, 12 and 13.

With reference to FIGS. 11-13, there may be provided over the pushbuttons A-H a stamped cover 3-24 screwed or otherwise securely fastened to the top plate of console 38. Punched into the cover 324 above the respective pushbuttons A-H are holes 326, each representing the letter corresponding to the pushbutton beneath it. By providing keys 328 (FIG. 13) which will fit into only respective ones of the holes 32 3, and by giving each player the key corresponding to his correct pushbutton, any possibility of a players depressing the wrong pushbutton is entirely eliminated. That is, if player A, for example, is given the key shown in FIG. 13, that key will fit into the proper hole 326 only and no other. Similarly, the 1gther bowlers will have keys which will fit only the correct For a scoring machine designed as a single unit to service two alleys, two sets of keys will be provided, together with a cover 324 for each set of pushbuttons on the console 38. In this case, one set of keys and holes in one plate 324 are preferably larger than those of the other to prevent interchangeability of keys. Also, the two sets will preferably be of different colors to match different colored plates 324.

A different type of key .is shown in FiG. 14. In this case the key 351 is slipped over the eraser end of a pencil 353. Advertising may be provided on the pencil as shown and the key itself formed from an inexpensive plastic whereby the article may be taken home by the bowler,

13 thereby obviating the necessity of the bowling alley proprietor to collect keys at the end of a game.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with a certain specific embodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. Apparatus for printing on one side of a sheet of translucent or the like material characterized in that printed material may be viewed from the other side of the sheet comprising, in combination, a transparent plate positioned adjacent said other side of the sheet and parallel thereto, and printing mechanism positioned adjacent said one side of the sheet, said printing mechanismincluding type and being movable toward the sheet to press the type against said transparent plate .and produce printed characters on said one side of the sheet which can be viewed through said transparent plate, said type being readable in the normal manner from left to right when viewed on the printing mechanism so as to produce printed characters on said one side of the sheet which are readable from left to right when viewed through said transparent plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein'canbon paper is interposed between the sheet and said type and wherein the carbon paper is pressed into contact with the sheet by the type. I

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the type is rigid and the transparent plate at least semi-resilient such that it will yield under the force of the printing mechanism.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the type is resilient ly mounted on the printing mechanism and the transparent plate is rigid to provide a rigid backstop for the type.

t 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the type is semiresilient and the transparent plate is rigid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printing mechanism is movable over the entire sunf-ace of said sheet and parallel thereto.

7. Apparatus for printing on one side of a translucent or the like sheet of material which is characterized in that printed material may be viewed from the other side of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate positioned closely adjacent said other side of the sheet and parallel thereto, a carriage movable in a plane parallel to said sheet and positioned at said one side of the sheet,

an opaque plate carried on said carriage and positioned closely adjacent and parallel to said sheet on said one side thereof, an aperture in said second plate, and printing means on said carriage adapted to project through said aperture and movable toward said sheet to press said sheet against the transparent plate and produce printed characters on the sheet which can be viewed through the transparent plate.

8. Apparatus for printing on one side of a translucent or the like sheet of material which is characterized in that printed material may be viewed from the other side of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate posi- .tioned closely adjacent said other side of the sheet and parallel thereto, a carriage movable in a plane parallel to said sheet and positioned at said one side of the sheet, an opaque plate carried on said carriage and positioned closely adjacent and parallel to said sheet on said one side thereof, said second plate having an area greater than the area of said first plate such that it will completely cover the first plate regardless of the position of said movable carriage, an aperture 'in the second plate, and printing means on said carriage adapted to project through said aperture and movable toward said sheet to press the sheet against the transparent plate and produce printed characters on the sheet which can be viewed through the transparent plate.

9. Apparatus for printing on one side of a translucent or the like sheet of material which is characterized in that printed material may be viewed from the other side of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate positioned adjacent said other side of the sheet and parallel thereto, a carriage movable in a plane parallel to said sheet and positioned at said one side of the sheet, a second opaque plate carried on said carriage and positioned adjacent and parallel to said sheet on said one side thereof, an aperture in said second plate, said second plate having an area' greater than the area of said first plate such that it will completely cover the first plate regardless ofthe position of said movable carriage, printing means on said carriage projecting through said aperture and movable toward said sheet to press the sheet against the transparent plate and produce printed characters on the sheet which can be viewed through the transparent plate, a shutter for covering said aperture and the printing means when the printing means is removed from said one side of the sheet, and means for opening the shutter when the printing means is moved toward said one side of the sheet to print characters thereon.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the printing means comprises a plurality of axially aligned wheels having raised characters circumferentially spaced on their peripheries, means for rotating said wheels, means for stopping each wheel at any one of a number of predetermined angular positions to selectively bring any one of said raised printing characters into position to be pressed against said sheet, and a tape of carbon material or the like which passes over said wheels between the wheels and said sheet whereby movement of the wheels toward the sheet may cause a printing character on the periphery of each wheel to press the carbon paper against the sheet and produce a printed character thereon.

11. Apparatus for printing the score on the underside of a bowling game score sheet which is characterized in that the printed material may be viewed from the top of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate above said sheet and parallel thereto, a first carriage movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to one transverse dimension of the score sheet, a second carriage carried on saidfirst carriage and movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to the other transverse dimension of the score sheet, and printing means on said second carriage and movable into and out of engagement with said score sheet.

12. Apparatus for printing the score on the underside of a bowling game score sheet which is characterized in that the printed material may be viewed from the top of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate above said sheet and parallel thereto, a first carriage movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to one transverse dimension of the score sheet, a second carriage carried on said first carriage and movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to the other transverse dimension of the score sheet, an opaque plate carried on the top of said second carriage and positioned closely adjacent and parallel to the underside of said sheet, and an aperture in said opaque plate through which said printing means projects.

13. Apparatus for printing the score on the underside of a bowling game score sheet which is characterized in that the printed material may be viewed from the top of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate above said sheet and parallel thereto, a first carriage movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to one transverse dimension of the sheet, a second carriage carried on said first carriage and movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to the other transverse dimension of said sheet, printing means on said second carriage and movable into and out of engagement with said score sheet, an opaque plate carried on top of said second carriage, an aperture in said opaque plate through which the printing means projects, a shutter for covering said aperture 15 and printing means when the printing means is not in engagement with said sheet, and means for opening the shutter when the printing means is moved upwardly toward said sheet.

14. Apparatus for printing the score on the underside of a bowling game score sheet which is characterized in that the printed material may be viewed from the top of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate above said sheet and parallel thereto, a first carriage movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to one transverse dimension of the sheet, a second carriage carried on said first carriage and movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to the other transverse dimension of the score sheet, printing means on said second carriage, means for moving said second carriage upwardly whereby the printing means will engage the underside of said score sheet to print characters thereon, an opaque plate carried on top of said second carriage, an aperture in said opaque plate through which the printing means projects, a shutter for covering said aperture at all times except when the second carriage is moved upwardly toward the sheet, and means for opening the shutter when the second carriage is moved upwardly toward said sheet to permit the printing means to produce printed characters on the underside of the sheet.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the opaque plate and said shutter are light-colored to provide a background for printed characters viewed through the transparent plate.

16. Apparatus for printing the score on the underside of a bowling game score sheet which is characterized in that the printed material may be viewed from the top of the sheet comprising a transparent plate above said sheet and parallel thereto, a first carriage movable beneath said ,sheet along a path extending parallel to the player lines on said sheet, a second carriage carried on said first carriage and movable beneath said sheet along a path extending parallel to the lines dividing the score sheet into frames, printing means on said second carriage, means for moving said second carriage upwardly whereby the printing means will engage the underside of said score sheet to print characters thereon, an opaque plate carried on top of said second carriage, an aperture in said opaque plate through which the printing means projects, a shutter for covering said aperture when the printing means on said second carriage are not in engagement with said score sheet, and means for opening the shutter when the second carriage is moved upwardly toward said sheet to print characters thereon.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the printing means comprises six coaxial wheels having printing type circumferentially spaced around their peripheries, means for rotating said Wheels, means for stopping each of the wheels at any one of a number of points, three of said six wheels serving to print units, tens and hundreds in the score boxes of the score sheet, another two of said printing wheels being adapted to print the ball results in the first and second ball results boxes of the score sheet, and the sixth wheel being adapted to print the results of a bonus ball in the tenth frame of the score sheet.

18. Apparatus for printing the score on a bowling game score sheet, comprising a carriage mounted for recipro eating movement toward and away from the score sheet, a plurality of coaxial printing wheels carried on said carriage, drive means including a motor device carried on said carriage for rotating said printing wheels, slip clutch means carried on said carriage for interconnecting said drive means with the printing wheels, and cam means operatively connected to the drive means for forcing said carriage including the motor device and said slip clutch means toward said score sheet whereby the printing wheels will be pressed into engagement with the score sheet.

19. In apparatus for printing the score on one side of a bowling game score sheet divided into player lines with the sheet being characterized in that the printed material on said one side may be viewed from the other side of the sheet; the combination of printing mechanism positioned adjacent said one side of the score sheet and movable in a plane parallel to the score sheet and along a path extending perpendicular to said player lines, a plate carried by the printing mechanism and movable therewith along said path, said plate being parallel to the score sheet and closely adjacent said one side thereof, an aperture in said plate, printing wheel means on the printing mechanism projecting through said aperture and adapted to be pressed against said one side of the sheet to print characters thereon, and arrow means on said plate extending parallel to said player lines and pointing at said aperture whereby the arrow means will give an instant visual indication of the player line adjacent which are said aperture and printing wheel means.

20. In apparatus for printing the bowling score on the bottom of a bowling game score sheet divided into player lines with the sheet being characterized in that the printed material on the bottom may be viewed from the top of the sheet; the combination of a transparent plate positioned adjacent the top side of the sheet and parallel thereto, printing mechanism positioned beneath the bottom side of the score sheet and movable in a plane parallel to the score sheet and along a path extending perpendicular to said player lines, a second plate carried by the printing mechanism and movable therewith along said path, said plate being parallel to the score sheet and closely adjacent said bottom side thereof, an aperture in said plate, printing wheel means on the printing mechanism projecting through said aperture and adapted to press said score sheet against the transparent plate while printing characters on the bottom of the score sheet, and arrow means on said plate extending parallel to said player lines and pointing at said aperture whereby the arrow means as viewed through the transparent plate will give an instant visual indication of the player line adjacent which are said aperture and printing wheel means.

21. In apparatus for printing the score on one side of a bowling game score sheet divided into player lines with each player line being divided into frame score boxes and with the sheet being characterized in that the printed material on said one side may be viewed from the other side of the sheet; the combination of printing mechanism positioned adjacent said one side of the score sheet and movable in a plane parallel to the score sheet and along paths extending parallel and perpendicular to said player lines, a plate carried by the printing mechanism and movable therewith along said paths, said plate being parallel to the score sheet and closely adjacent said one side thereof, an aperture in said plate, printing wheel means on the printing mechanism projecting through said aperture and adapted to be pressed against said one side of the sheet to print characters thereon, and arrow means on said plate extending parallel to said player lines and pointing at said aperture whereby the arrow means will give an instant visual indication of the player line and frame box adjacent which are said aperture and printing wheel means.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein said plate is of a size such that it will cover the entirety of the score sheet regardless of which player line or frame box the apertures and printing wheels are adjacent, and wherein said arrow means extends from a point at said aperture to an edge of said plate.

23. In apparatus for printing the score on the bottom side of a bowling game score sheet divided into player lines with each player line being divided into a plurality of frame boxes and with the sheet being characterized in that printed matter on its bottom side may be viewed from the top of the sheet; the combination of a transparent plate positioned adjacent said top side of the sheet and parallel thereto, printing mechanism positioned adjacent said bottom side of the score sheet and movable in a plane parallel to the score sheet and along paths extending perpendicular and parallel to said player lines, a second plate carried by the printing mechanism and movable therewith along said paths, said plate being parallel to the score sheet and closely adjacent the bottorn side thereof, an aperture in said second plate, printand frame box beneath which are the printing wheel v means.

'24. The combination of claim 23 wherein the arrow means comprises an arrowhead positioned adjacent said aperture in the second plate together with parallel, separated lines extending from the arrowhead to an edge of said second plate, the arrangement being such that printed material entered on the score sheet may be viewed between said parallel, separated lines.

25. In apparatus for printing the score on one side of a bowling game score sheet divided into player lines with the sheet being characterized in that the printed material on said one side may be viewed from the other side of the sheet; the combination of a light-colored plate extending parallel to said score sheet and closely adjacent said one side thereof, said plate being movable along a path extending perpendicular to the player lines, an aperture in said plate through which printing wheel means may project to print characters on said one side of the score sheet, and an arrow pointing at said aperture such that the arrow may be viewed from said other side of the score sheet to give an instant indication of the position of the aperture with respect to the score sheet.

26. Apparatus for printing on one side of a translucent or the like sheet of material characterized in that printed material may be viewed from the other side of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate positioned closely adjacent said other side of the sheet and parallel thereto, a carriage adapted to move toward and away from said one side of the sheet, an opaque plate carried on said carriage, said opaque plate being positioned closely adjacent said one side of the sheet and parallel thereto, an aperture in said opaque plate, and printing means on said carriage adapted to project through said aperture and produce printed characters on the sheet when the carriage is moved toward said one side of the sheet.

27. Apparatus for printing on one side of a translucent or the like sheet of material characterized in that printed material may be viewed from the other side of the sheet, comprising a transparent plate positioned adjacent said other side of the sheet and parallel thereto, a carriage adapted to move toward and away from said one side of the sheet, an opaque plate carried on said carriage and positioned adjacent said one side of the sheet and parallel thereto, printing means on said carriage adapted to project through said aperture and press said sheet against the transparent plate to produce printed characters on the sheet when the carriage is moved toward said one side of the sheet, a shutter for covering said aperture and said printing means when the carriage is removed from said one side of the sheet, and means for opening the shutter when the carriage is moved toward said one side of the sheet.

28. The printing apparatus of claim 27 wherein the printed material is substantially opaque and wherein the opaque plate and said shutter are light-colored to produce a background for the printed material viewed through the transparent plate. a

29. Apparatus for printing the score on a bowling game score sheet, comprising carriage means mounted for movement toward and away from the score sheet, printing means mounted on said carriage means, said printing means including a plurality of type elements which are successively movable into a position where they may be pressed against the score sheet, drive means for successively moving said type elements into position for printing, a rotatable member operatively connected to said drive means, detent devices circumferentially spaced around said rotatable member, and solenoid operated latch means actuable at a preselected angular position of said rotatable member to engage one of said detent devices to stop said rotatable member and said type elements with a selected one of the elements in position where it may be pressed against the score sheet.

30. The printing apparatus of claim 29 wherein the drive means is rotatable, and including apparatus operable after a predetermined number of revolutions of the drive means for forcing said carriage toward said score sheet after a selected one of the type elements is moved into position for printing,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,123,302 1/1915 Jacob 101-9 3 1,324,469 12/1919 Scott 101-110 X 1,477,392 12/1923 Smith 101407 1,737,925 12/1929 Gydesen et a1. 101-316 1,909,550 5/1933 Pierce 10 1-93 1,950,373 3/1934 Depenbrock 101-407 2,157,035 5/1939 Torkelson 101-93 2,389,499 11/1945 Gordon 197-144 2,649,732 8/1953 Klaar 101-93 2,656,980 10/1953 Fox 235- 2,887,043 5/1959 Terry 101-93 3,017,089 1/1962 Reynolds 235-145 FOREIGN PATENTS 464,357 4/ 1937 Great Britain.

WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM BERLIN, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR PRINTING ON ONE SIDE OF A SHEET OF TRANSLUCENT OR THE LIKE MATERIAL CHARACTERIZED IN THAT PRINTED MATERIAL MAY BE VIEWED FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SHEET COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TRANSPARENT PLATE POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID OTHER SIDE OF THE SHEET AND PARALLEL THERETO, AND PRINTING MECHANISM POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID ONE SIDE OF THE SHEET, SAID PRINTING MECHANISM INCLUDING TYPE AND BEING MOVABLE TOWARD THE SHEET TO PRESS THE TYPE AGAINST SAID TRANSPARENT PLATE AND PRODUCE PRINTED CHARACTERS ON SAID ONE SIDE OF THE SHEET WHICH CAN BE VIEWED THROUGH SAID TRANSPARENT PLATE, SAID TYPE BEING READABLE IN THE NORMAL MANNER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHEN VIEWED ON THE PRINTING MECHANISM SO AS TO PRODUCE PRINTED CHARACTERS ON SAID ONE SIDE OF THE SHEET WHICH ARE READABLE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHEN VIEWED THROUGH SAID TRANSPARENT PLATE. 